grrm.astormofswords-第65部分

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nd　of　too　low　a　birth　for　me；　and　I　never　gave　him　leave。　No　true　knight　would　ever　kiss　a　queen　without　her　leave。　She　had　taken　care　never　to　be　alone　with　Ser　Jorah　after　that；　keeping　her　handmaids　with　her　aboard　ship；　and　sometimes　her　bloodriders。　He　wants　to　kiss　me　again；　I　see　it　in　his　eyes。
　What　Dany　wanted　she　could　not　begin　to　say；　but　Jorah's　kiss　had　woken　something　in　her；　something　that　been　sleeping　since　Khal　Drogo　died。　Lying　abed　in　her　narrow　bunk；　she　found　herself　wondering　how　it　would　be　to　have　a　man　squeezed　in　beside　her　in　place　of　her　handmaid；　and　the　thought　was　more　exciting　than　it　should　have　been。　Sometimes　she　would　close　her　eyes　and　dream　of　him；　but　it　was　never　Jorah　Mormont　she　dreamed　of；　her　lover　was　always　younger　and　more　ely；　though　his　face　remained　a　shifting　shadow。
　Once；　so　tormented　she　could　not　sleep；　Dany　slid　a　hand　down　between　her　legs；　and　gasped　when　she　felt　how　wet　she　was。　Scarce　daring　to　breathe；　she　moved　her　fingers　back　and　forth　between　her　lower　lips；　slowly　so　as　not　to　wake　Irri　beside　her；　until　she　found　one　sweet　spot　and　lingered　there；　touching　herself　lightly；　timidly　at　first　and　then　faster。　Still；　the　relief　she　wanted　seemed　to　recede　before　her；　until　her　dragons　stirred；　and　one　screamed　out　across　the　cabin；　and　Irri　woke　and　saw　what　she　was　doing。
　Dany　knew　her　face　was　flushed；　but　in　the　darkness　Irri　surely　could　not　tell。　Wordless；　the　handmaid　put　a　hand　on　her　breast；　then　bent　to　take　a　nipple　in　her　mouth。　Her　other　hand　drifted　down　across　the　soft　curve　of　belly；　through　the　mound　of　fine　silvery…gold　hair；　and　went　to　work　between　Dany's　thighs。　It　was　no　more　than　a　few　moments　until　her　legs　twisted　and　her　breasts　heaved　and　her　whole　body　shuddered。　She　screamed　then。　Or　perhaps　that　was　Drogon。　Irri　never　said　a　thing；　only　curled　back　up　and　went　back　to　sleep　the　instant　the　thing　was　done。
　The　next　day；　it　all　seemed　a　dream。　And　what　did　Ser　Jorah　have　to　do　with　it；　if　anything？　It　is　Drogo　I　want；　my　sun…and…stars；　Dany　reminded　herself。　Not　Irri；　and　not　Ser　forah；　only　Drogo。　Drogo　was　dead；　though。　She'd　thought　these　feelings　had　died　with　him　there　in　the　red　waste；　but　one　treacherous　kiss　had　somehow　brought　them　back　to　life。　He　should　never　have　kissed　me。　He　presumed　too　much；　and　I　permitted　it。　It　must　never　happen　again。　She　set　her　mouth　grimly　and　gave　her　head　a　shake；　and　the　bell　in　her　braid　chimed　softly。
　Closer　to　the　bay；　the　city　presented　a　fairer　face。　The　great　brick　pyramids　lined　the　shore；　the　largest　four　hundred　feet　high。　All　manner　of　trees　and　vines　and　flowers　grew　on　their　broad　terraces；　and　the　winds　that　swirled　around　them　smelled　green　and　fragrant。　Another　gigantic　harpy　stood　atop　the　gate；　this　one　made　of　baked　red　clay　and　crumbling　visibly；　with　no　more　than　a　stub　of　her　scorpion's　tail　remaining。　The　chain　she　grasped　in　her　clay　claws　was　old　iron；　rotten　with　rust。　It　was　cooler　down　by　the　water；　though。　The　lapping　of　the　waves　against　the　rotting　pilings　made　a　curiously　soothing　sound。
　Aggo　helped　Dany　down　from　her　litter。　Strong　Belwas　was　seated　on　a　massive　piling；　eating　a　great　haunch　of　brown　roasted　meat。　〃Dog；〃　he　said　happily　when　he　saw　Dany。　〃Good　dog　in　Astapor；　little　queen。　Eat？〃　He　offered　it　with　a　greasy　grin。
　〃That　is　kind　of　you；　Belwas；　but　no。〃　Dany　had　eaten　dog　in　other　places；　at　other　times；　but　just　now　all　she　could　think　of　was　the　Unsullied　and　their　stupid　puppies。　She　swept　past　the　huge　eunuch　and　up　the　plank　onto　the　deck　of　Balerion。
　Ser　Jorah　Mormont　stood　waiting　for　her。　〃Your　Grace；〃　he　said；　bowing　his　head。　〃The　slavers　have　e　and　gone。　Three　of　them；　with　a　dozen　scribes　and　as　many　slaves　to　lift　and　fetch。　They　crawled　over　every　foot　of　our　holds　and　made　note　of　all　we　had。〃　He　walked　her　aft。　〃How　many　men　do　they　have　for　sale？〃
　〃None。〃　Was　it　Mormont　she　was　angry　with；　or　this　city　with　its　sullen　heat；　its　stinks　and　sweats　and　crumbling　bricks？　〃They　sell　eunuchs；　not　men。　Eunuchs　made　of　brick；　like　the　rest　of　Astapor。　Shall　I　buy　eight　thousand　brick　eunuchs　with　dead　eyes　that　never　move；　who　kill　suckling　babes　for　the　sake　of　a　spiked　hat　and　strangle　their　own　dogs？　They　don't　even　have　names。　So　don't　call　them　men；　ser。〃
　〃Khaleesi；〃　he　said；　taken　aback　by　her　fury；　〃the　Unsullied　are　chosen　as　boys；　and　trained…〃
　〃I　have　heard　all　I　care　to　of　their　training。〃　Dany　could　feel　tears　welling　in　her　eyes；　sudden　and　unwanted。　Her　hand　flashed　up　and　cracked　Ser　Jorah　hard　across　the　face。　It　was　either　that；　or　cry。
　Mormont　touched　the　cheek　she'd　slapped。　〃If　I　have　displeased　my　queen…〃
　〃You　have。　You've　displeased　me　greatly；　ser。　If　you　were　my　true　knight；　you　would　never　have　brought　me　to　this　vile　sty。〃　If　you　were　my　true　knight；　you　would　never　have　kissed　me；　or　looked　at　my　breasts　the　way　you　did；　or　。　。　。
　〃As　Your　Grace　mands。　I　shall　tell　Captain　Groleo　to　make　ready　to　sail　on　the　evening　tide；　for　some　sty　less　vile。〃
　〃No；〃　said　Dany。　Groleo　watched　them　from　the　forecastle；　and　his　crew　was　watching　too。　Whitebeard；　her　bloodriders；　ihiqui；　every　one　had　stopped　what　they　were　doing　at　the　sound　of　the　slap。　〃I　want　to　sail　now；　not　on　the　tide；　I　want　to　sail　far　and　fast　and　never　look　back。　But　I　can't；　can　I？　There　are　eight　thousand　brick　eunuchs　for　sale；　and　I　must　find　some　way　to　buy　them。〃　And　with　that　she　left　him；　and　went　below。
　Behind　the　carved　wooden　door　of　the　captain's　cabin；　her　dragons　were　restless。　Drogon　raised　his　head　and　screamed；　pale　smoke　venting　from　his　nostrils；　and　Viserion　flapped　at　her　and　tried　to　perch　on　her　shoulder；　as　he　had　when　he　was　smaller。　〃No；〃　Dany　said；　trying　to　shrug　him　off　gently。　〃You're　too　big　for　that　now；　sweetling。〃　But　the　dragon　coiled　his　white　and　gold　tail　around　one　arm　and　dug　black　claws　into　the　fabric　of　her　sleeve；　clinging　tightly。　Helpless；　she　sank　into　Groleo's　great　leather　chair；　giggling。
　〃They　have　been　wild　while　you　were　gone；　Khaleesi；〃　Irri　told　her。　〃Viserion　clawed　splinters　from　the　door；　do　you　see？　And　Drogon　made　to　escape　when　the　slaver　men　came　to　see　them。　When　I　grabbed　his　tail　to　hold　him　back；　he　turned　and　bit　me。〃　She　showed　Dany　the　marks　of　his　teeth　on　her　hand。
　〃Did　any　of　them　try　to　burn　their　way　free？〃　That　was　the　thing　that　frightened　Dany　the　most。
　〃No；　Khaleesi。　Drogon　breathed　his　fire；　but　in　the　empty　air。　The　slaver　men　feared　to　e　near　him。〃
　She　kissed　Irri's　hand　where　Drogon　had　bitten　it。　〃I'm　sorry　he　hurt　you。　Dragons　are　not　meant　to　be　locked　up　in　a　small　ship's　cabin。〃
　〃Dragons　are　like　horses　in　this；〃　Irri　said。　〃And　riders；　too。　The　horses　scream　below；　Khaleesi；　and　kick　at　the　wooden　walls。　I　hear　them。　And　Jhiqui　says　the　old　women　and　the　little　ones　scream　too；　when　you　are　not　here。　They　do　not　like　this　water　cart。　They　do　not　like　the　black　salt　sea。〃
　〃I　know；〃　Dany　said。　〃I　do；　I　know。〃
　〃My　khaleesi　is　sad？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Dany　admitted。　Sad　and　lost。
　〃Should　I　pleasure　the　khaleesi？〃
　Dany　stepped　away　from　her。　〃No。　Irri；　you　do　not　need　to　do　that。　What　happened　that　night；　when　you　woke　。　。　。　you're　no　bed　slave；　I　freed　you；　remember？　You　。　。　。〃
　〃I　am　handmaid　to　the　Mother　of　Dragons；〃　the　girl　said。　〃It　is　great　honor　to　please　my　khaleesi。〃
　〃I　don't　want　that；〃　she　insisted。　〃I　don't。〃　She　turned　away　sharply。　〃Leave　me　now。　I　want　to　be　alone。　To　think。〃
　Dusk　had　begun　to　settle　over　the　waters　of　Slaver's　Bay　before　Dany　returned　to　the　deck。　She　stood　by　the　rail　and　looked　out　over　Astapor。　From　here　it　looks　almost　beautiful；　she　thought。　The　stars　were　ing　out　above；　and　the　silk　lanterns　below；　just　as　Kraznys's　translator　had　promised。　The　brick　pyramids　were　all　glimmery　with　light。　But　it　is　dark　below；　in　the　streets　and　plazas　and　fighting　pits。　And　it　is　darkest　of　all　in　the　barracks；　where　some　little　boy　is　feeding　scraps　to　the　puppy　they　gave　him　when　they　took　away　his　manhood。
　There　was　a　soft　step　behind　her。　〃Khaleesi。〃　His　voice。　〃Might　I　speak　frankly？〃
　Dany　did　not　turn。　She　could　not　bear　to　look　at　him　just　now。　If　she　did；　she　might　well　slap　him　again。　Or　cry。　Or　kiss　him。　And　never　know　which　was　right　and　which　was　wrong　and　which　was　madness。　〃Say　what　you　will；　ser。〃
　〃When　Aegon　the　Dragon　stepped　ashore　in　Westeros；　the　kings　of　Vale　and　Rock　and　Reach　did　not　rush　to　hand　him　their　crowns。　If　you　mean　to　sit　his　Iron　Throne；　you　must　win　it　as　he　did；　with　steel　and　dragonfire。　And　that　will　mean　blood　on　your　hands　before　the　thing　is　done。〃
　Blood　and　fire；　thought　Dany。　The　words　of　House　Targaryen。　She　had　known　them　all　her　life。　〃The　blood　of　my　enemies　I　will　shed　gladly。　The　blood　of　innocents　is　another　matter。　Eight　thousand　Unsullied　they　would　offer　me。　Eight　thousand　dead　babes。　Eight　thousand　strangled　dogs。〃
　〃Your　Grace；〃　said　Jorah　Mormont；　〃I　saw　King's　Landing　after　the　Sack。　Babes　were　butchered　that　day　as　well；　and　old　men；　and　children　at　play。　More　women　were　raped　than　you　can　count。　There　is　a　savage　beast　in　every　man；　and　when　you　hand　that　man　a　sword　or　spear　and　send　him　forth　to　war；　the　beast　stirs。　The　scent　of　blood　is　all　it　takes　to　wake　him。　Yet　I　have　never　heard　of　these　Unsullied　raping；　nor　putting　a　city　to　the　sword；　nor　even　plundering；　save　at　the　express　mand　of　those　who　lead　them。　Brick　they　may　be；　as　you　say；　but　if　you　buy　them　henceforth　the　only　dogs　they'll　kill　are　those　you　want　dead。　And　you　do　have　some　dogs　you　want　dead；　as　I　recall。〃
　The　Usurper's　dogs。　〃Yes。〃　Dany　gazed　off　at　the　soft　colored　lights　and　let　the　cool　salt　breeze　caress　her。　〃You　speak　of　sacking　cities。　Answer　me　this；　ser…why　have　the　Dothraki　never　sacked　this　city？〃　She　pointed。　〃Look　at　the　walls。　You　can　see　where　they've　begun　to　crumble。　There；　and　there。　Do　you　see　any　guards　on　those　towers？　I　don't。　Are　they　hiding；　ser？　I　saw　these　sons　of　the　harpy　today；　all　their　proud　highborn　warriors。　They　dressed　in　linen　skirts；　and　the　fiercest　thing　about　them　was　their　hair。　Even　a　modest　khalasar　could　crack　this　Astapor　like　a　nut　and　spill　out　the　rotted　meat　inside。　So　tell　me；　why　is　that　ug